How To Survive As a Villain on the Verge of Death

The emperor reread the text before him. The long text was full of all kinds of modifiers and boring explanations, but in the end, the main point could be explained with two words at the end.

 

‘Empress’ and ‘dethroned’.

 

When he had his second wedding, he never thought this day would come. He never thought he would drive out his beloved wife with his own hands. But now there was no choice. The Emperor looked at the young Grand Duke before his eyes. He led the investigation and uncovered the Empress’s crimes in detail. He actually didn’t have to reveal her sins or anything. Because it was an undeniable fact that the Empress had stabbed Sorel. Sorel’s maid was severely tortured, but she died, claiming that she had stolen her dagger at the instigation of the Empress. Thanks to this, all her affairs became the Empress’s sin.

 

The emperor moved his pen and signed the bottom of the document. Although the handwriting was neat, the tip of the pen trembled helplessly at the moment of writing the last word.

 

“The Empress…”

 

The emperor paused for a moment and steadied his voice. For a moment, his throat seemed to close up. A cold sneer passed by the lips of the Grand Duke who was standing right in front of him. The Emperor seemed very funny trying to suppress his emotions. The Emperor’s head became cold with anger. Thanks to this, he was able to calm his emotions and continue his speech.

 

“Since she could not hold back her anger in the moment and harmed the princess, she should be dethroned and stripped of all her positions.”

 

Among the gathered ministers, no one objected. No one spoke of the new empress. Since he had two grown sons, there was no need for him to welcome a new empress. Now it was time to think about the crown princess. In fact, everyone was probably wondering who Arentine’s wife would be.

 

Now that the Empress had become a sinner and was dethroned, the possibility of her son, Vilos, taking over his place as Crown Prince was almost gone. Even now that the empress’s family has fallen, the chances of Vilos succeeding to the throne have decreased even further. Those who have been flipping the abacus while trying to decide between Arentine and Vilos must be calculating that way.

 

The emperor glanced at Arentine’s gentle face standing on one side. Arentine still had his usual indifferent expression, but there was a faint hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

 

Someone asked cautiously.

 

“What are you going to do about the issue of Empress Dowager’s whereabouts?”

 

“She is the second prince’s mother, so it’s impossible to kick her out of the palace. She should be imprisoned in the imperial palace.”

 

The expressions on their faces that said they knew that would happen passed by. Having Vilos meant that he couldn’t send the Empress anywhere. It was customary for her to be kept in the imperial palace when the empress who gave birth to the prince was dethroned. That way, she won’t be able to go out and plot treason or plot anything else.

 

The emperor was grateful for the customs of his ancestors. He never wanted to send his empress away. Even though, ostensibly, he divorced her.

 

“I’m tired, so I’ll call it a day. Everyone go away.”

 

The ministers obediently retreated, observing the emperor’s notice. The look in his eyes made him think that it was natural for him to feel bad because he had signed the document dethroning the empress. The Emperor saw the Grand Duke exchange a glance with Arentine before he went out. His mind, which had been boiling with anger, cooled down once again. After sending out his servants, he got up and went out.

 

“I will go to the empress.”

 

The chamberlain guided the emperor in silence. He signed the papers today dethroning the Empress, but he still had only one Empress. Now the empress was confined in her abandoned palace on one side of her imperial palace.

 

The emperor followed the familiar path and entered. The abandoned palace was an old building that imprisoned the royal family who had become criminals. After the empress moved here, the emperor replaced its old furniture, laid warm carpets on the floor, and filled the cracked walls with tapestries. Even though it was decorated like that, it could not erase the lonely and gloomy atmosphere. It was because the building was so old and dilapidated in the first place.

 

“Your majesty.”

 

The Empress, who was sitting by the window, rushed into his arms. She was already crying. The emperor was speechless.

 

“Today…”

 

“I already heard about it.”

 

As the Empress said this, she cried in his arms. It seemed that Vilos had come to his mother and told her what was going on today. While the investigation was in progress, the emperor could not enter or leave the abandoned palace due to public attention. But now that the entire investigation was over and the verdict had been made, Vilos was coming in and out of this place cautiously. The emperor also visited this place every day.

 

“I’m sorry. I must…”

 

The Empress, who was shedding tears, lifted her head when she heard his voice.

 

“It’s all because of Sorel!”

 

She shook off the emperor and became angry.

 

“That stupid girl made me like this!”

 

Sorel was also greatly discouraged by this incident and confined herself to her room. In the meantime, the Empress poured out her anger on Eve, the Grand Duke, and Arentine every day. She had cursed and criticized those three people so much that it seemed like the arrow had now turned on Sorel.

 

“I endured it even when His Majesty brought that girl in! I looked after her and cared for that child like my own daughter! But look at this now!”

 

The empress’s words were nothing more than venting her anger, but the emperor denied it and did not support Sorel. In fact, he was very angry with Sorel. Things got to this point because Sorel planned such a foolish thing. The Emperor wrapped his arms around the Empress’s shoulders and pulled her into his arms again. Then he patted her back and comforted her.

 

“I will definitely avenge you. I will pay everyone back until you are satisfied. The Grand Duke and Eve. Arrentine. And Sorel too.”

 

The thing he hated and resented the most at this moment were those four people. If it weren’t for them, it wouldn’t have happened like this. Arentine and Eve should not have been saved in the first place. He should have gotten rid of them all when the former empress died, but he left them in for fear of arousing suspicion. The same went for Sorel. He thought that she would be able to put her holy power to good use, so he accepted her as princess, but with such a plan, she made the empress like this.

 

‘Useless thing.’

 

The emperor also felt resentment towards Sorel. She could still be used, so there was no need to get rid of her, but she was still ugly. After consoling the Empress for a while in her abandoned palace, the Emperor returned to the Government House. Gairen was waiting for him.

 

“Is there any news from the Archduchy?”

 

“Nothing much has happened, but Princess Eve is said to be visiting the Rohan duchy.”

 

“The duke? Why?”

 

“It seems the princess has found a cure for her princess’s illness.”

 

“A cure?”

 

The Emperor listened to Gairen’s explanation with a surprised expression. Eve happened to find an herb that could cure their daughter and she told the duchess. It was said that the princess was recovering. Princess Rohan’s illness was an incurable disease for which no cure had been found for a long time. He couldn’t believe that Eve had discovered it by chance.

 

“How did Eve know that?”

 

Incomprehensible things were happening one after another. The Grand Duke discovers the assassination plan on his wedding day. Eve noticed that the Empress was trying to give her medicine. The Grand Duke and Eve also knew in advance about the fire at the temple led by Vilos. Eve even saw through Sorel’s plan and prepared a trap in advance. If it had happened once or twice, he would have thought the information had been leaked. But did it make sense for the Grand Duke and Eve to find out each and every one of their schemes like this?

 

‘And now you’ve found a way to cure the Duke of Rohan’s only daughter?’

 

Eve had no basic scientific knowledge, let alone medicine? Have she suddenly found a way to save a princess who was dying of an incurable disease?

 

“No matter how much I think about it, it doesn’t make sense.”

 

When Eve suddenly became strange, he thought it was because she was shocked to learn of the assassination plan on her wedding day. When one receives a severe shock, one’s personality and values may change. It was probably the Grand Duke who discovered the assassination plan, not Eve. It was thought that he had coaxed Eve over to his side. But what if that’s not the case? As the emperor continued to think about it, he suddenly remembered the divine power that Eve had in the past. Although she lost it a long time ago, she possessed the unique holy power that Eve was born with.

 

“Eve’s sacred power was foresight. It was a humble ability, but it was a fairly rare power.”

 

The emperor remembered young Eve crying one day, saying that she had suddenly lost her holy powers. He didn’t listen seriously at first. Eve’s power originally only appeared once in a while. But even after one month and three months passed, Eve did not see the prophecy. By the time half a year had passed, everyone had no choice but to acknowledge it. That Princess Eve has completely lost her sacred powers. If only she had told the Emperor and Empress quietly, he would have kept it a secret. Young Eve foolishly made a fuss about her holy power disappearing, making it impossible for her to hide it. Because Eve was always so arrogant, many people complained about this. They mocked Eve behind her back, calling her a fake saint. But even those who laughed like that were puzzled at the same time. Was it possible for her holy power to suddenly disappear like this? Everyone thought it was strange, but the emperor knew the answer. His illegitimate daughter, who had been pushed into the corner and forgotten by her, had taken the power of Eve from her and she had proudly emerged.

 

Sorel was a lowly illegitimate child born with holy power that was less than that of a grain of sand. Since she seemed to be of no use to anyone, she was left to live with her mother. But Sorel confidently stepped in front of him and said that she had taken away her half-sister’s powers with her evil sorcery. So Eve lost her powers. As proof, Sorel demonstrated her strong healing power in front of the emperor. That’s why he never suspected it until now. Eve’s sacred powers had been taken by her Sorel, and he thought it would be impossible for her to regain her precognitive powers. There was no way Eve could have taken back her powers that Sorel had stolen from her. It was not a technique that absolutely anyone could do. Because that spell was a unique spell created by Sorel’s biological mother.

 

Sorel’s biological mother was the only descendant of a family of shamans who had worked for the royal family for generations. She died before Sorel could properly take over her powers, so she lost the power of her magic that the family possessed. Now it has been cut off. But… Could it be that some accident occurred and Eve regained her powers?

 

Sorel steadfastly denied that this could not be the case, but the Emperor once again became suspicious of Eve’s abilities. airen, who had been listening quietly, denied the emperor’s thoughts.

 

“Even if Her Princess Eve regained her precognitive abilities, Her Princess Eve’s abilities were not that great. Could she really have foreseen all his highness plans?”

 

Well, he was like that too. Eve’s foresight was a trivial power. It was barely possible to see fragments of scenes. She didn’t come out often at all. Was it too much speculation? The Emperor gave up his thoughts and gave orders to Gairen again.

 

“Take a closer look at the Grand Duchy. I need to know if there’s anything unusual about Eve.”

 

* * *

 

Diane was recovering little by little day by day. She visited the Duke’s house every two or three days to see Diane. The duke’s house was close by, so it was convenient to visit briefly during the day. Every time she went, Lot accompanied her.

 

Lot, wearing a fur hat and a scarf wrapped around him, ran up to her and asked.

 

“Can I take Bayan with me today? Diane wanted to see it.”

 

“Is it so? Then it would be better if we go together.”

 

Bayan was sleeping, rolling around on a cushion in front of a warm fireplace.

 

Lot hugged Bayan in his arms.

 

“Bajan, you are going out together today. It’s good?”

 

Bayan, who had just woken up, was hugged by Lot with a confused expression. She looked at him and put on her coat. Then Chloe came inside and handed her a small folded letter.

 

“Your Majesty the Grand duchess. His Royal Highness sent me this note to deliver.”

 

“A note?”

 

At the mention of a note, her eyes inadvertently went to Lot. Lot hastily put up one hand.

 

“I didn’t send it this time!”

 

“Is it so? I will believe it.”

 

When she opened the note, she saw letters written in neat handwriting. She still didn’t know if Terence’s handwriting was correct. However, she could tell that this handwriting was more elegant and neat than the note she had received before.

 

The content written inside was short.

 

[The job was completed well. If it’s okay with you, I’ll go pick you up this evening.]

 

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Translator Note: